5 Safety Tips to Keep in Mind This Holiday Season

1. Abide by Your Provincial, State, or City Regulations for Gathering Limits

No matter where you may be, it’s crucial to follow the regulations which have been outlined by your province, state, or city for gathering sizes. Though we may be eager to celebrate with members outside of our household or social bubble, it’s important to consider the safety of your loved ones before you do so.

If you are hosting or going to a small gathering, here are some important things to consider, as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Reduce the number of people you choose to celebrate with so you can still ensure everyone is able to socially distance within the home.
• If you can, consider celebrating outdoors in your backyard. If this is impossible, make sure the house is properly ventilated, and windows are open to allow for fresh air to enter the area.
• Ensure those you are choosing to celebrate with, have not been in contact with anyone who has been exposed to COVID-19 and have not travelled within the last 14 days.
• Refrain from close contact, like hugging, with members outside of your household.
• Try not to touch surfaces which may be regularly touched by others.
• Ensure everyone is wearing masks and regularly washing their hands.

Our Senior Sales Account Executive at EcoOnline North America , Christopher Smith, shared, “I have a big family who usually gets together for the holidays, but this year my wife and I are opting to stay home and celebrate with our children. We have said no to so many travel plans with family, and it has been difficult, but it’s the right thing to do with the COVID-19 risk, especially with my dad turning 80. To help protect our loved ones and help mitigate all risks, we’re keeping our holiday festivities extremely small.”

2. Avoid Travel 

Though travelling is something many would do under normal circumstances to be with loved ones living abroad, this year it’s important to avoid travel. By resisting the urge to leave your city or town, you could be saving a life without even knowing it.

As we have learned, airports and airplanes are hotspots where people could be exposed to COVID-19. Several people from different households, who have been in various places around the world all come together in these areas, making traveling a huge risk. Consider the safety of your loved ones, before making any travel plans this holiday season.

Design Lead, Sandy Roy, shared, “Every year, I travel to Florida to spend time with my family for the holidays, but this year I’m staying put. Instead, I’m looking forward to spending a cozy holiday break with my partner and our pets. We’re taking the money we would’ve spent traveling and purchasing gifts and saving it up for a nice trip with our family once the pandemic settles down (most likely somewhere warm!).”

An alternative this holiday season is to celebrate virtually! We are fortunate to be living in an age where technology is advanced enough to provide us with the ability to turn on a camera and connect with loved ones. Though we are not able to celebrate in person with all friends and family, at least we can still share the moment with everyone in a virtual setting.

3. Send Gifts Through the Mail

Avoid contact with high-touch surfaces and reduce the number of touchpoints shared among people outside of your household, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. For this reason, try not to exchange gifts with external members of your home and opt to send presents through the mail instead. 

Your holiday shopping may be a bit different this year, as many are choosing to shop online. Don’t forget to support local businesses this season too! Consider these options and have your gifts sent directly to your loved ones’ homes, to avoid all contact.

If you do choose to physically pick out gifts for those outside of your household, ensure you are staying safe, and have them sent in the mail. This is a secure alternative, as it will reduce close contact such as hugging and kissing, which usually comes with exchanging gifts.

Our People’s Success Manager, Basmah Sidi, said, “I’ve done most of my shopping online this year and will be sending my gifts by mail to my extended family members. My family and I also decided to donate to a charity, as we know this year has been especially tough on so many people.”

4. Stay Away From Crowds

During this time of year, many choose to head to areas full of people such as malls, restaurants, or even skating rinks to spend quality time with friends and family. Try to stay away from all crowds to keep yourself and loved ones safe.

Much like our first tip, be sure to abide by all provincial, state, or city regulations when heading to a public area. Continue to wear a mask and socially distance from others outside of your household and avoid touching surfaces which others regularly touch. Keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer nearby as well to disinfect your hands if you come into contact with something that may pose a risk.

If you can, stay home and avoid places where many are enclosed within a certain space. Our Director of Corporate Operations, Dean Nadorozny shared, “I’m doing my part in limiting contact with others by working primarily from my home office and avoiding my usual mass transit daily travels to the office.  I’ve also done my best to avoid the malls and have completed almost all of my Christmas shopping online this year, and scored some great deals at the same time! ”

5. Continue to Wear a Mask and Wash Hands Regularly

As always, don’t forget to continue to wear a mask and wash your hands regularly during this holiday season. To get one step closer to eliminating this disease, we must work together to follow the guidelines outlined by our respective governing bodies.

While celebrating with others, we may feel tempted to remove our masks and avoid social distancing. Resist the temptation and keep in mind your actions to avoid close contact, will ultimately protect those you love most.

Manager of Customer Success at EcoOnline North America , Marta Montero, shared the sign below which she keeps in the entrance of her home and told us, “I’ve always been very vigilant about washing my hands regularly and wearing a mask whenever I leave the house, whether it’s to go grocery shopping or walk the dog. I even have a sign up in my entry way (seen below) to remind me to do so! My actions don’t just help protect me, but they help protect the many strangers I come across during my walks or grocery shopping. Wearing a mask and washing your hands is the simplest way to show members of your community that you care about their health and safety.”

From Our EcoOnline North America Family to Yours…

We wish you a holiday season full of happiness and joy! Remember to take stock of all the blessings in your life and show gratitude towards your friends and family. Though we may not be able to be together physically this year, we can always share the love virtually.

Season’s greetings to one and all!